Oil-can and the like.



I. J.'FITZPATRIGK.

OIL CAN AND THE LIKE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 27, 1909.

930,748. Patented Aug. 10, 1909.

awvevdoz Winn/ma I athoznuao mnnew. a. GRAHAM co PHOTO-LITHDEMFHERS. wAsH MGYON, n. c.

nnir SAE Adj-Ear prion.

OIL-CAN AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1909.

Application filed March 27, 1909. Serial No. e86,180.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs J. FITZPAT- RICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lima, in the county of Allen and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Oil- Can and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to oil cans and the like and more particularly to means for automatically closing the inlet opening of an oil can.

The ordinary form of can heretofore used has been provided with a screw-cap which, through oversight, is often left out of place, thus permitting the contents of the can to quickly evaporate.

The object of the present invention is to provide a can having a spring-controlled closure which is normally in position across the feed opening, but which can be easily shifted therefrom upon the insertion of any object, such, for example, as a funnel, into the can.

A further object is to provide simple means for attaching the closure and its controlling spring to the can, the closure being so mounted as to swing entirely away from the feed opening when depressed so as to offer absolutely no obstruction to the admission of liquid etc., to the can.

A still further object is to provide a closure of this type which can be readily attached to the ordinary forms of cans now in use.

With these and other objects inview the invention consists of certain novel details of,

construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings:Figure 1 is a vertical section through the upper portion of a can having the present improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the closure and its supporting ring. Fig. 3 is-a detail view of the combined pintle and spring support.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference A designates the upper portion of a can of theusual or anypreferred type, said upper portion being provided with an open mg a. This opening is designed to receive the closure constituting the present improvements. Said closure consists of a ring 1, the

lower end of which is enlarged to form a seat 2 against which bears the marginal portion of the convex face of a concave-convex plate 3 from the marginal portion of which extend spaced eyes 4 which can either be formed with orsecured to the'plate 3. Ears 5 extend downwardly from the ring 1 and can be formed therewith or secured thereto, these cars being provided with eyes 6 designed to register with the eyes 4 and receive the intermediate pprtion 7 of the coupling wire. Obviously t, is intermediate portion thus constitutes a pintle upon which the eyes 4 turn. The terminal portions of the coupling wire extend paralle with but are spaced from the intermediate portion 7 so as to form a hearing stem 8 and. a spring-holding stem 9. The stem 8 bears against the ring 1 and can, if desired, loe soldered or otherwise secured there- .to, while the stem 9 is disposed below the intermediate portion 7 and projects through the coil of a spring 10, one end of this spring bearing upon one of the ears 5 as indicated at 11, while the other end thereof forms an elongated arm 12 which extends under and bears u wardly against the middle portion of the p ate 3.

In applying the closure herein described to the top portion ofa can A the ring 1 is inserted into the opening a from within the can top and the upper edge of the ring is then flared to form a flange 13 which can be soldered or otherwise secured upon the can top. Inasmuch as the plate 3 is held normally'upon its seat 2 by the spring arm 12 it will be apparent that any of the liquid contents of the can will not evaporate. Should it be desired however to fill the can it'is merely necessary to insert a funnel into the ring 1 and downward pressure on the funnel will cause the plate 3 to promptly swing downwardly into open position and to one side of the ring. As soon as the funnel has been removed the spring arm 12 will return the plate 3 to its closed position.

The device herein described can be applied to cans at the time of their manufacture, or, if preferred, can be placed upon the market as an article to'be applied to cans already in use. The device is'advantageous because it closes automatically and there is therefore no danger of the escape of vapor as the result of neglect to close the can, as is often the case where separate screw-caps or the like are utilized.

It is of course to be understood that various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of the invention.

What is claimed is 1. A closure attachment for oil cans and the like comprising a ring having a seat at one end, a coupling member having intermediate and end portions, one of said end portions being secured to the ring, a concaveconvex closure plate hingedly mounted upon the intermediate portion of the member, and a spring having a coil mounted upon the other end portion of said member, one end of the spring bearing against a fixed part of the closure and the other end thereof bearing against the closure plate to hold it normally upon its seat.

2. A closure attachment for oil cans and the like comprising a ring having a seat at one end, a coupling member consisting of parallel intermediate and end portions, one 01" sald end portlons being secured to the ring and the intermediate and other end portions being disposed below and beyond the ring, a concave-convex disk hingedly mounted upon the intermediate portion and constituting a closure plate, a spring carried by the lower end portion of the coupling member and bearing at one end against said plate to hold it normally upon the seat.

3. lhe combination with a receptacle having an opening therein, of a ring extending through the opening and having an enlarged inner end constituting a seat, a roupling member consisting of intermediate and end portions disposed in parallel relations, one ol' the end portions being secured to the ring); and the intermediate and other end portimm being disposed below and beyond the ring, a concavo-com'ex disk hingedly mou nt ed u pou the intermediate portion and eonatituting a closure plate, and. a spring mounted upon the lower end portion of the coupling member and bearing against the dish to hold it normally upon the seat and within the ring said disk being depressible into position below and to one side of the ring.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto allixed my si; ;nature in the presence or" two Witnesses.

Vv itnesses G. M. PLATE, WM. H. STOLZENBAOH. 

